Paul Mario Day, the English singer best known for serving as the original vocalist for the iconic metal band Iron Maiden, has died at the age of 69.\n<\/p>\n
No cause of death has been provided.\n<\/p>\n
Day’s bandmates from More, another heavy metal group he was in that he formed in 1980, shared the news of his death in a statement on social media<\/a> on Tuesday, paying tribute to his legacy and calling him an integral force in the rise of the genre.\n<\/p>\n More in November 1980 (L-R): drummer Frank Darch, bassist Brian Day, singer Paul Mario Day, guitarist Kenny Cox, and guitarist Laurie Mansworth.<\/p>\n Michael Putland\/Getty<\/p>\n “Paul was a huge part of the NWOBHM [new wave of British heavy metal] from his time in an early version of Iron Maiden and, of course, his fantastic performance on the Warhead album,” the statement reads. “He was a well-loved figure in British rock music and played many memorable shows, not least the legendary 1981 Monsters of Rock show at Castle Donninton [sic] with AC\/DC [and] Whitesnake\/David Coverdale as well as tours with Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, and many other legendary artists.”<\/p>\n The statement continues, “It’s an honor for us to continue to play his music, and we will always think of him every time we hit the opening notes to ‘Warhead.’ We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family and friends and also the many fans around the world who love his music.”\n<\/p>\n “Play his music loud and sing along,” reads the caption of the photo included with the tribute. “Thank you \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffb\u00a0 Rock in peace, Paul. \ud83e\udd18\ud83c\udffb”\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Day served as the vocalist for Iron Maiden’s first official lineup for less than a year<\/a>. He had been recruited by bassist Steve Harris to join the band in late 1975, and after 10 months Day left the group following claims he lacked both energy and charisma.\n<\/p>\n Day was replaced by Dennis Wilcock, despite his having recorded no albums with Iron Maiden. Wilcock was then replaced in 1978 by Paul Di’Anno, who performed on Iron Maiden’s first two albums before he was succeeded by its longtime vocalist Bruce Dickinson.\n<\/p>\n Following his brief stint with Iron Maiden, Day went on to front the bands More and Wildfire. He later joined a reformed version of Sweet as their lead vocalist alongside guitarist Andy Scott and drummer Mick Tucker.\n<\/p>\n Scott also shared a tribute to Day via Sweet’s official Facebook page<\/a> on Tuesday. “In 1985 Mick Tucker and myself put together the first new lineup of Sweet after the hiatus of the original band,” Scott wrote. “We needed a singer and when Paul arrived for the audition we looked no further… Live [in London], at the Marquee, did well in various charts around the world, and Paul’s vocal performance has stood the test of time.”\n<\/p>\n He continued, “PMD was the original singer with Iron Maiden and had a stint with the band More before joining Sweet. He passed away peacefully at his home in Australia. My\u00a0deepest condolences to his wife, Cecily, and family and friends.”\n<\/p>\n Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly<\/a>‘s free newsletter<\/a> to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.<\/p>\n Day eventually relocated to Australia in the 1980s, where he continued to work as an active musician until his death. He is survived by his wife, Cecily.<\/p>\n